New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-04
FELIX ADLER PRiISES BEECHER.
HIS IDEAS ABOUT THE GREAT PREACHER COM
PLETELY CHANGED.


Felix Adler smoke yesterday at Chckcring Hall to an
audience that filled the place tooverlowing His subject
was Henry Ward Bcecber" Here Is part OF what he
said:
The mantle death has fallen Of The most conpc
moas snS aSe on enfy Ward Bccef has gone
TO but deem fitting both on behalf o. THIS society
Chorus and that This morning tribute OF
SI nans 'ss s Mr. necchr am Ice
that In former ysas me aPpss. % Subjects s e
lei doubt the entre gcnuneness ana sincerity Of tho
REPUTATION the shadow Of iia cloud iel mind
As Il iS S on S ihe svendS against him
and never nwary condemned him. tho OF
but Of Late years ha. taken place IN my
moral integrity. In fact opinions have become com;
poey reversed closer study Of bis Sng. Ia, enabled
apparent discrepancies on the surface Touching tho ques
c ned me strongly the latter rather than the former
FIRST the 9nsnes Of ar BesoGeI to an oI,s
explain those expressions IN his unfortunate letters which
the fact all the long trial in The full glare
Cast upon hs past io or any attempt made TO
prove previous dena@eney on his part one might have
ready hs past life which not right
no on qs o G plain si and Without
es wa bos against Mr Beechsr was at
age the only charge that can be acei against him TO my
one Of The leading advocates on the opposite side William
NJ Mr. he declared ms innocence
ness stand we're the sublime and majestic exhibitions
human nature that have ever seen cannot understand
resist the impression OF that solemn
that pack OF bounds trying In vain 10 drag
emphatic than that And think
bound TO give II full weight In making opinions
this Impression Human nature cannot possibly be
sunk depths OF iDany and hypocrisy should
have 10 ascrbe TO him II he had uttered the
pure Thought, The mpassonei pleas for the snblme,,
tIe time crdo with which no charged
and another than that the crmo OF public per
Jury were secreied We cannot believe that We
are Justified amply justified. think In believing him limo
Applause and Misses
And as we have faces In the direction OF belief in
then no bocomes greater ovon tau ho
then hearts cannot help having feeling
pity the sueriDgs which that man must have endured
that dark period OF his e Then We cannot help marvel
ling al the genteuess the patience the dignity with which
he received of missiles which hurled against
him by his enemies. and we ioel mat IN certain
Applause and Misses ii believed him guilty,
should have spoken. should have remained silent
But because ! believe him inDOoont That say
eecher was the type OF the American democracy In the
pnlpt o a IN tho ordinary sense but no
supremacy conscious OF HIS power no man ever
than he appeared before that nmulious audience
i'm Manchester England, 1863. he tells that he said
hmsef a IN bound to control You never de-
trrmined my oel tho grip had upon them
small reasons for his success IL was not his
dramatic power his telling anecdotes. his affecting
Is 10 e that tho American democracy DO
held their qualities reflected In him mirror enlarged
cratic man the Of American Democratic
An The pulpit above social prejudice which 10
political prejudice IL is deep and daHning dissIaoe
that II shond OF Christian
ho rose above prejudice and II IL only contrast with
the vulgar rabe that surrounds him that Mr. Beechor
BIS called shining example with Lincoln and
preachef~ei that his just title to enduring fame Loud
and prolonged appausel